Chicago Cubs name Mike Quade manager
The Chicago Cubs have named Mike Quade their new manager. Quade was filling the role of the team’s interim manager at the end of the 2010 season. However, the club decided to officially name the 53-year-old manager, signing him to a two-year deal with a
club option for the 2013 season.
Quade took over as the Cubs’ manager after Lou Piniella decided to retire. Quade had a successful end to the season with Chicago, helping the team on to a 24-13 record, which was the second best in the League during that time.
Chicago pitcher Ryan Dempster was pleased with the signing, saying, “It’s awesome, they couldn’t have made a better hire. He did a great job when he was given the opportunity. It’s a great move for the organization and for us as a team. I’m extremely thrilled
that he got the opportunity here, because if it wasn’t going to be here, it was going to be somewhere else.”
Quade was being considered for the position along with Triple-A manager Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg mentioned that he is no longer certain of his future with the Cubs organization and it is not clear whether he will return as the coach of the organizations Triple-A
team the Iowa Cubs next season.
Nevertheless, the Cubs feel as though Quade is the right man for the job. The veteran manager spent three seasons managing the Iowa Cubs, before joining Piniella’s coaching staff as a third base coach in 2007.
When Quade addressed the media on 29 September he praised the organization for allowing him to take the team in his own direction, saying.
“I got an opportunity to come in and do things the way I like. And [general manager] Jim [Hendry] gave me free rein to take the shot and go do it. Nothing’s gotten in the way of me being able to do that and the results have been good.”
Quade will hope to build on the success he had at the end of last season and the Cubs will need all the help they can get, as even with the strong finish the Cubs still ended the year with a 75-87 record.
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